I played a lot of all previous Forza games, incluing the first one on the original XBOX. I love them all, they are great games, I am a big real life car and racing fan, and realistic simulation is the appeal of these games to me. In a market already crouwed with arcade racing games like N4S, Burnout, etc, why did we had to take the single real simulation game available on the XBOX and make a causal arcade racing out of it, and keep the Forza name on the box? I have 0 interrest in playing this game, dont get me wrong I like some arcade stile racing games as well, but not on the expense of the realistic simulation ones. People will say, well, the "Numbered" Forza games are still realistic and they will release a new one in a couple of years...... But, what if this arcaded-down version of Forza becames a greater seller then the pure simation version, with a lesser budged(?). Do you think the the simulation style ones wont not be affected? They will try the arcade route on those ones as well, basically the same shit that happened with FPSs, RPGs, and Flight Sims. Let make it the most accessible, generic and dumb as possible so it will sell more. Dirt Showdown was another example of how to shit on a great racing game franchise.

or you could GTFO

If that was going to happen, it would happen regardless of this game. Maybe this game is the start of a new direction, or maybe it is a once-off game that might turn into a sub series. Final Fantasy got a rhythm game, but that doesn't mean every Final Fantasy game from this point on is going to be a rhythm game. I wouldn't worry too much about this yet; it is only one game.

Also, if you start to ask what if on every little thing that happens, you'll start to go crazy. "What if the Wii causes all gaming to become casual-focused", "What if everyone starts making iPhone games". Nine times out of then it isn't going to happen, and when it actually does it's not as bad as people were convinced it was going to be.

To be fair, you could already make Forza 4 pretty 'arcade-style' with all the assists jacked up, and from what I understand it seems like you could get Horizon to be a lot less 'arcade-style' with assists off. It seems like a great concept to me.

I get what your saying, but we all know why they called it Forza. Because the name Forza sells and giving it a brand new name without a proper marketing push would have killed it.

or you could GTFO

Why do you care? Just play it or don't.

Ha. A market crowded by arcade racers. You mean a market crowded by games by Criterion? There are more sim racers out nowadays than arcade racers.

Also, arcade racer is completely useless as a genre term. You're not racing to checkpoints in NFS, you're just racing. Action racer is a way more useful term.

@Alexandru said:

or you could GTFO

Not an appropriate response. Don't do this.

Back on topic, I think the issue here is a difference in the perception of what the Forza franchise is supposed to be. Dan Greenawalt's stated over the last few years that it's intended to bridge a gap between car fanatics and gamers, and that the realistic physics are intended to help you feel the nuances of a car more than anything. That's why the games have gained a lot of assists and features to make them more accessible to anybody. They're not trying to compete with the PC racing sims, they're trying to provide the best option available for everybody in the console market.

The physics are mostly unchanged in Forza Horizon, from my experience. Turn 10 seems to pride themselves on those, so I doubt they'll change for the worse in any future Motorsport game (at least not intentionally).

Crazies are up early today.

yeah. they could call it 'Not Forza:Horizon' just so those that want it to be pure are happy.

You're making up problems.

Can't you basically make all the Forza games as arcadey(ish) or sim like as you want through the like bajillion assists and stuff?

@mercutio123 said:

Can't you basically make all the Forza games as arcadey(ish) or sim like as you want through the like bajillion assists and stuff?

Yeah you can even make the game brake for you, so all you have to do is steer and hold down the trigger.

I don't get the point of complaint, as long as they keep the 'realistic' handling model and the assists system instead of over simplifying the gameplay there's no difference if the visuals take place underwater, on the moon or the world of colorado.

These games can be fun, not just the antisseptic driving around on a spotless race track, there's no harm in making your driving simulator a little more exciting (again, as long as you don't dumb down the controls)

I think calling if "Horizon" instead of Forza "5" you have little to be worried about. They used the name Forza simply so people knew the name and would buy it instead of just calling it some new IP name.

I'd rather hear your thoughts upon the Bioware name.

The demo for Forza Horizon was awesome. I enjoyed it more than any other Forza game. If they ditched the old Forza format and just made Horizon games, I'd be okay with that. Alternatively: roll what makes Horizon so fun back in to regular Forza games.

It's a good game with a reliable title. Don't play it if you don't like it. You'll get your Forza 5 soon enough.

Why would they not use Forza? The name itself will sell copies and this is a business after all. If you are a Forza purist, just be glad it's not a numbered release.

Really tempted to get it but Most Wanted is a few weeks away and I've been waiting for that game since Burnout Paradise.

Having played the demo, Forza Horizon as every damn right to call itself a Forza game. This sort of reminds me of the so called "hardcore racing gamers" who have been bitching about the game because it's not hardcore enough, as if there sitting on some high chair looking down at every other racing game... seriously folks there's enough quality racing sims on PC and such. If anything Horizon really highlights out stale Forza 4 was, a game I enjoyed at points but found some of it's features pretty pointless, fascinated to see how Horizon affects Forza 5 on the next gen system.

I love me some racing games, but I'm quickly realising that I prefer them with a mix of arcade and simulation. From the demo Horizon got it almost perfect with the cars, love the handling in the Forza games it's just been everything around it that as appeared bland and forgetful.

yeah i know what your saying. i was just kind of thinking the other day that there won't be my favorite tracks in this game. it will hopefully be good. i'll get it eventually sometime next week maybe.

i think microsoft changed it because it was appeal to more people than how it is. there are different people developing it instead of turn 10. there are still people playing forza 2. i played forza 2 a while ago people were still there. the problem is that they're pretty much the masters at the game.

They did Call it something else they called it "Horizon" notice the lack of "Motorsports" in the title. I can see them making Horizon their more arcade like version of the game while they keep Motorsport the way it was.

I have never liked the Forza series until now. Demo was really good. Turned the driving to simulation, off with assists and inside car view and it felt really good. Seemed like a great mix between my favorite racing games.

@asantosbr: it has happened with Need for Speed, they took the name of a popular arcade racer and used it to promote their "simulator" (SHIFT), this is same thing just backwards.

As a simracer i'm kinda sad Horizon turned out to be a decent (arcade) title.

Open world racers are the new military shooters.

Nothing is pure. Also there is no god.

In all seriousness and at the expense of sounding trite: vote with your wallet, dude. Just know that if a game is good, people will think it is good. And apparently Horizon is pretty good.

@Bell_End said:

yeah. they could call it 'Not Forza:Horizon' just so those that want it to be pure are happy.

I've never bought a Forza game, but if they made a Not Forza game, I think I would buy that day 1